


Remembrance

by BlackMarketTrombones



Series: Flash Fiction [6]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-07
Updated: 2019-07-07
Packaged: 2020-06-23 19:00:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19707487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlackMarketTrombones/pseuds/BlackMarketTrombones
Summary: A trainer visits a friend at the Pokemon Tower.





	Remembrance

The trek to Lavender Town is not a hard one.

Not physically, at least. Route 8 from Saffron City is pretty short, with few trainers to bother you, and those that try are easily dealt with. It’s still the most miserable journey you’ve ever made, every time.

You never bothered to come with Ember before, but you think he would have liked it. Maybe not the grim atmosphere, but the tendency toward dramatics, subtle but unmistakably there… You squint up at the monumental obelisk that dominates the town. There isn’t a single window visible on the whole tower.

Yeah. Ember would have liked it.

Every time you visit, it’s always a surprise how nice the Pokemon Tower is on the inside. The first level would feel almost like a library if not for the distinctly somber air looming over the mourners.

You know you’re no different.

Ember’s niche is exactly as you left it on your last visit. You sit on the floor before it, knowing you’ll be here a while.

“I’m sorry,” you say, as you always say first. It doesn’t matter how many people assure you that it wasn’t your fault, that these things just happen sometimes, you know— _know_ —you could have done something different. Something better.

Ember should still be traveling with you.

“Everyone’s been doing okay,” you continue. “Rambunctious as ever. I think Lily wants to evolve, but I—” You swallow thickly. “Don’t know if I’m ready to get back into training. Dunno if I’ll ever be.”

Your team doesn’t hold it against you. Even Lily, who’s more than strong enough to become a Vileplume. They all loved Ember too, but you wonder if they aren’t waiting for you to hurry up and move on. If they aren’t eager to get back to battling.

Part of you misses it too, but you just…can’t. Not yet.

“I mean, who would my sixth team member be?”

Not another Fire-type. That’s completely out of the question. But any time you try to consider what type would be the best compliment, you just can’t find the motivation.

“There’s no way I could ever replace you.”

Your haughty partner who had been with you from the start. Learning and growing alongside you through every victory and loss. The two of you had been so excited when you’d finally gotten ahold of the Fire stone you needed to evolve him into an Arcanine, although he’d tried to act more dignified.

He was always forgetting how much bigger he was after evolving and jumping into your lap like he was still a Growlithe.

Your so lost in memories that you don’t notice at first, but when you finally look up, the room seems…darker, somehow. You realize all of the other mourners are gone from the level almost as soon as you hear an echo of laughter.

“Who’s there?” you call out.

There’s no answer, but the unnatural darkness thickens. It’s like a fog has descended indoors, settling a purple haze over all the gravestones.

You’re just starting to stand when something appears right in front of you.

You help as you scramble backwards. You recognize the Gastly from Pokedex photos, but you’ve never seen one in-person before. It doesn’t seem to be aggressive, at least. If anything, it looks almost…offended?

You flinch when it creeps forward, but it only settles down on top of your crossed legs and looks up expectantly. It weighs next to nothing.

“Uh… Hi?”

The Gastly huffs and floats upwards. “Hey!” you shouts as it approaches the niche behind you. “Stay away from there!”

It ignores you, and the cutting look it shoots you from in front of your partner’s grave is so familiar your breath hitches.

“…Ember?” you say slowly, scarcely able to believe your dawning suspicion and hope.

Gastly nods approvingly and flots closer. You hold out your hand and he bumps against your palm.

You swallow thickly, mind racing. You’ve never trained a Ghost-type before—it always seemed morbid, but anyone can be wrong.

There’s a shout and a crash and the supernatural haze lifts all at once. A channeler trips up the stairs, breathing hard.

“Oh good,” she says. “You’re alright! And…you made a new friend?”

“An old one, I think,” you say, and Ember laughs.

“I see.” Her eyes flick between the two of you. “You must have a strong bond. Something like that is a treasure beyond compare.”

The past few months have taught you that better than she ever could.

“I know,” you say, already thinking about the future.


End file.
